The America's Cup sailing race took a step farther away from Ras al Khaimah last night as Alinghi, the Cup holders, officially invited the challengers to compete in Valencia, Spain, the only venue with no legal obstructions.
The move came after the Swiss team failed to persuade BMW Oracle to accept an alternative Southern Hemisphere venue, although the offer stands until Friday.
"After the failure of discussions to find a settlement, we now accept the venue that has been previously accepted by Oracle and the court," said Paco Lattore, an Alinghi spokesman. "Our priority is to hold the regatta."
Alinghi still lists RAK as its preferred venue, however, and there is a slim chance that the race could yet be staged in the northern emirate if the team's appeal against the disqualification of RAK is successful. A decision in that appeal is due in mid-December.
Golden Gate Yacht Club in San Francisco, which BMW Oracle represents, welcomed Valencia as a venue, and called for the appeal in favour of RAK to be dropped.
"We're very pleased to see that Société Nautique de Genève/Alinghi have finally agreed with us that Valencia in February is the correct venue to hold the 33rd America's Cup," said Tom Ehman, a spokesman for the team. "Presumably SNG will now drop their appeal of the court's decision that Ras al Khaimah is an illegal venue."
With the deadline for the race fast approaching and a need to confirm a venue to prepare for the race, Valencia may turn out to be the only option for a February race.
Having previously opposed Valencia as a venue for a February race due to winter weather, unstable wind conditions and concerns over safety, Alinghi confirmed its reversal in a letter to Justice Shirley Kornreich in New York yesterday.
"We still believe that Valencia is a less suitable venue than RAK for a February race, as it is very cold and the weather is unpredictable," Mr Lattore said. "The race could come down to the circumstances of weather for the day, and therefore it may not emphasise the quality of the boats and the skill of the crew. Nevertheless, it is a feasible venue and therefore we should get the race done."
Racing in either Prosperpine Beach or Townsville on Australia's Gold Coast was proposed last week. If BMW Oracle does not accept this offer by the end of the week, Valencia will be the default venue, pending judgment on the RAK appeal, according to Alinghi.
Valencia, the successful venue for the 2008 race, was authorised as a permissible venue by the New York Supreme Court.
In a statement, the Alinghi skipper, Brad Butterworth, expressed his disappointment in moving to Valencia.
"We went into the talks in good faith, ready to make concessions in order to guarantee the return of the Cup to the water for a February duel between two state-of-the-art boats," he said. "But BMW Oracle's priority was to delay the race because they are not ready. Now they have to live with their choice of date. I think I speak for the community when I say we want the cup sorted out as soon as possible on the water."
Valencia staged the first ever European hosted America's Cup in 2008 in a regatta that was widely heralded as one of the most successful in the event's long history, attracting 6.4 million visitors and generating a budget surplus of ?60 million (Dh330m).
Ernesto Bertarelli, owner of Alinghi, said the venue required predictable wind conditions to guarantee a fair race and showcase the boats, which will be the most technologically advanced ever.
His counterpart, Larry Ellison, was critical of Alinghi's choice of RAK, citing concerns over security and a lack of infrastructure. Traditionally it has been the right of the holder to select the venue for the next race.
tbrooks@thenational.ae
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SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)
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Company%20Profile
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England's all-time record goalscorers:
Wayne Rooney 53
Bobby Charlton 49
Gary Lineker 48
Jimmy Greaves 44
Michael Owen 40
Tom Finney 30
Nat Lofthouse 30
Alan Shearer 30
Viv Woodward 29
Frank Lampard 29
Trolls World Tour
Directed by: Walt Dohrn, David Smith
Starring: Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake
Rating: 4 stars
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
UFC%20in%20Abu%20Dhabi
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The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
The specs
Price, base / as tested Dh1,100,000 (est)
Engine 5.2-litre V10
Gearbox seven-speed dual clutch
Power 630bhp @ 8,000rpm
Torque 600Nm @ 6,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined 15.7L / 100km (est)
Company%20Profile
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Emirates Cricket Board Women’s T10
ECB Hawks v ECB Falcons
Monday, April 6, 7.30pm, Sharjah Cricket Stadium
The match will be broadcast live on the My Sports Eye Facebook page
Hawks
Coach: Chaitrali Kalgutkar
Squad: Chaya Mughal (captain), Archara Supriya, Chamani Senevirathne, Chathurika Anand, Geethika Jyothis, Indhuja Nandakumar, Kashish Loungani, Khushi Sharma, Khushi Tanwar, Rinitha Rajith, Siddhi Pagarani, Siya Gokhale, Subha Srinivasan, Suraksha Kotte, Theertha Satish
Falcons
Coach: Najeeb Amar
Squad: Kavisha Kumari (captain), Almaseera Jahangir, Annika Shivpuri, Archisha Mukherjee, Judit Cleetus, Ishani Senavirathne, Lavanya Keny, Mahika Gaur, Malavika Unnithan, Rishitha Rajith, Rithika Rajith, Samaira Dharnidharka, Shashini Kaluarachchi, Udeni Kuruppuarachchi, Vaishnave Mahesh
Company name: Farmin
Date started: March 2019
Founder: Dr Ali Al Hammadi
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: AgriTech
Initial investment: None to date
Partners/Incubators: UAE Space Agency/Krypto Labs
Iftar programme at the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding
Established in 1998, the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding was created with a vision to teach residents about the traditions and customs of the UAE. Its motto is ‘open doors, open minds’. All year-round, visitors can sign up for a traditional Emirati breakfast, lunch or dinner meal, as well as a range of walking tours, including ones to sites such as the Jumeirah Mosque or Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood.
Every year during Ramadan, an iftar programme is rolled out. This allows guests to break their fast with the centre’s presenters, visit a nearby mosque and observe their guides while they pray. These events last for about two hours and are open to the public, or can be booked for a private event.
Until the end of Ramadan, the iftar events take place from 7pm until 9pm, from Saturday to Thursday. Advanced booking is required.
For more details, email openminds@cultures.ae or visit www.cultures.ae
If you go
The flights
Emirates and Etihad fly direct to Nairobi, with fares starting from Dh1,695. The resort can be reached from Nairobi via a 35-minute flight from Wilson Airport or Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, or by road, which takes at least three hours.
The rooms
Rooms at Fairmont Mount Kenya range from Dh1,870 per night for a deluxe room to Dh11,000 per night for the William Holden Cottage.
The specS: 2018 Toyota Camry
Price: base / as tested: Dh91,000 / Dh114,000
Engine: 3.5-litre V6
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 298hp @ 6,600rpm
Torque: 356Nm @ 4,700rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km
ATP WORLD No 1
2004 Roger Federer
2005 Roger Federer
2006 Roger Federer
2007 Roger Federer
2008 Rafael Nadal
2009 Roger Federer
2010 Rafael Nadal
2011 Novak Djokovic
2012 Novak Djokovic
2013 Rafael Nadal
2014 Novak Djokovic
2015 Novak Djokovic
2016 Andy Murray
2017 Rafael Nadal
2018 Novak Djokovic
2019 Rafael Nadal
Emergency
Director: Kangana Ranaut
Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry
Rating: 2/5
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
'Moonshot'
Director: Chris Winterbauer
Stars: Lana Condor and Cole Sprouse
Rating: 3/5
The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now
